New Carvel Celebrates Grand Opening With Free Ice Cream

Long before there was Pinkberry and Häagen-Dazs, Carvel was the place to get an ice-cream cone.

The company, founded in 1934, was the first retail ice-cream franchise in the nation, and if you grew up in New York, your childhood was filled with listening to Tom Carvel's gravelly voice talking about Fudgie the Whale and Cookie Puss, prompting you to beg your parents to take you for a cone or a Flying Saucer.

Carvel rules New York with more than 150 stores (and about 50 in New Jersey), but there are also 30 shops in Florida to get your fix -- including a new one in Miami at 12224 SW Eighth St.

The location features a revamped store design and includes digital menu boards, dipping cabinets, and a topping bar. The shop also boasts an updated Carvel logo.

The grand-opening festivities, which begin this weekend, will celebrate with plenty of deals, BOGOs, and freebies. Franchisee Pervez Khan says the week of frozen goodness is "our way of thanking Miami for welcoming us into the community."

The week of deals begins Saturday, January 10, and culminates with free ice cream for everyone Saturday, January 17, from 1 to 5 p.m. (one complimentary soft-serve junior cup or cone per person).

Here's the schedule of deals:

Saturday, January 10: Buy one shake, get one for 80 cents

Sunday, January 11: Buy one sheet cake, get an Oreo Lil' Rounders six-pack for 80 cents

Monday, January 12: Buy one sprinkle cup multipack, get one half off

Tuesday, January 13: Buy one small cup/cone, get a kid's cup or cone free

Wednesday, January 14: Buy one classic soft ice-cream sundae, get one free

Thursday, January 15: Buy one Flying Saucer multipack, get one half off

Friday, January 16: Buy one Sundae Dasher, get one half off

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Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times, has been featured on Cooking Channel's Eat Street and Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. She won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature about what it's like to wait tables.